The Best Children’s Multivitamins

I believe that we have the knowledge to make our children the healthiest in history. I know, quite an ambitious claim when are all the statistics are pointing to the contrary. The educational tools are available for parents to implement and we need to increase the access to healthy food, water, and air through better policies. There is no question that our children are not as healthy as the previous generations. This is strongly correlated to the diet, lifestyle, and environment. Let’s take a look at the current statistics:

Childhood obesity has tripled since the 1970’s. One in five school-aged children has obesity and two-thirds of adults in the United States today are obese or overweight.

In 2009, 1 in 10 children had asthma and the rates have increased every year. From 2001 through 2009, asthma rates rose the most among black children, almost a 50% increase. Women were more likely than men and boys more likely than girls to have asthma (showing an estrogen connection). Look at our air quality and the asthma mystery disappears.

Research shows that 43% in the US are now diagnosed with ADHD as of 2015. When researchers looked specifically at teenagers, they found the diagnoses had risen 52 percent since 2003.

The gut and brain are connected, and therefore with digestive disorders, autoimmune disorders, and food allergies on the rise, we also see developmental disabilities increase.

In the 1970s and 1980s, about 1 in 2,000 children had autism. In 1994, it was 1 in 150. Today, 1 in 68 has autism and 1 in 6 in the US has a developmental disability. The first born boys have the highest risk.

What is Happening??

You can trace most disorders to a simple concept of deficiency and toxicity. When you chart the statistics of chemicals, toxins and heavy metals unloaded onto our food and into the air, water, and homes starting in the 1960’s, and the explosion of high fructose corn syrup, cold cereal, and sugar consumption starting in the 1970’s, there is a clear delineation and degeneration of health.

Many of us had great-grandparents that grew up on farms with fresh food, cleaner air and water, that lived until their 90’s or over 100. Over the past 1,000 years, there has been a steady rise in life expectancy at birth. But in only the last 30 years, the rise in life expectancy at birth in the United States decelerated relative to this historical pattern, and gains in life expectancy at older ages are now much smaller than they were in previous decades.

Weston Price’s research in Nutritional and Physical Degeneration warned us that this would happen. He was able to show how quickly health could degenerate in one generation when indigenous people with a nutrient dense diet changed to a western diet high in white flour and sugar. The pictures of the children and their teeth when comparing the two diets is worth the purchase of the book alone. The epigenetic silver lining is that we can reverse these trends starting with pregnancy and children’s health.

Epigenetics and Your Child’s Health

We often look at children differently when it comes to diet. Since they are kids, it seems okay for them to eat more sugar and have different meals than their parents, devoid of vegetables and usually a flour-based dish.

The problem is that they have growing skeletons and organs that actually require more than adults. For example, our brain at birth is 25 percent of the size it will reach. By the age of 2, our brain is 80 percent of its adult size. This is what makes breast milk rich in DHA and choline so important for the first two years of life. These bodies have to last them an entire lifetime, and the reason we are seeing health issues earlier with each generation is because of epigenetics.

Epigenetics is the study of how diet, environment, and lifestyle changes gene expression.The DNA code remains fixed for life, but the epigenome remains flexible. This can be changed for better or for worse.Epigenetic tags react to our environment, diet and predominant state of mind.

An example I like to use is a queen bee. In the bee kingdom, how does a queen bee emerge? A queen bee is actually a worker bee that gets royal jelly. This suppresses a DNA methyltransferase and extends life to5 years vs. 40 days despite the same DNA as the other worker bees.

The positive idea with epigenetics is that these negative gene expression changes can be reversed. My genetic practice – Nutrition Genome – shows people how they can reverse disease trends in their family. It is an unbelievably powerful concept that not only improves your health but multiple generations after you.

Why is the ADHD Diagnosis Rising?

“Study drugs” are one of the most abused drugs in high school and college whether or not ADHD is diagnosed, and approved for children over the age of 3. Kids as young as 4 can be diagnosed based on guidelines by the American Academy of Pediatrics. These drugs manipulate norepinephrine and dopamine to increase focus and stamina, neurotransmitters that naturally elevate to healthy levels when we exercise, jump in cold water and practice deep breathing techniques. The difference is that one is a methamphetamine with numerous downsides, and the other is what we have done naturally since the beginning.

I personally think the increased statistics of ADHD may actually be due to a hasty overdiagnosis of the disorder and quick dispensing of drugs. If we increased exercise and took out the sugar, we would see the statistics plummet. The fact that boys are diagnosed twice as much as girls appear to point to the fact that many males have a much harder time sitting still and being quiet in a classroom setting. Hunting and looking out for predators for millions of years will do that. Yet, we still have children sit all day and expect them to retain a ridiculous amount of information while also staying quiet and suppress their natural evolutionary instincts to explore.

Technology has displaced this exploring and hunting instinct along with the natural neurotransmitter boost for focus and concentration. Now, it is funneled into quick, fast moving images on a screen that instead promote addictive behavior, a short attention span, and defiance. Without the freedom to move all day and try to survive in the environment, many children struggle to adapt.

Exercise and Nutritional Deficiencies for Children

A very interesting hypothesis on mood disorders is that our modern lifestyle lacks certain physiological stressors that have been experienced by primates through millions of years of evolution, including changes in body temperature (e.g. cold swim), and this lack of “thermal exercise” may cause inadequate functioning of the brain. Certain genetic variants predispose some individuals more than others to the sensitivity of a deprivation of these stressors.

Exercise has been a proven way to increase norepinephrine 1.5 to >20 times basal concentrations depending on the type of exercise and intensity. If you have a child that struggles with focus and concentration, the more intense exercise the better. Cold showers and deep breathing (think mindfulness techniques being used in classrooms) also increase norepinephrine in the brain, creating a natural anti-depressive effect and improved focus.

Multiple studies Texas A&M found that working at a standing desk improves the brain’s time management, fact retention, comprehension skills and focus. A school in San Rafael, California became the first to ditch the chairs and incorporate standing desks. They even have a “fidget bar.” Studies show allowing kids to move during the day can improve grades – up to 15 percent – and help kids burn up to 25 percent more calories.

In the book Rest, the author points out dozens of famous accomplished writers, mathematicians, scientists and artists in the past and present that only work 4 hours a day, while spending the afternoon to take long walks. The science presented in this book behind walking and how it affects your brain is truly remarkable.

Vitamin and MInerals

Magnesium

Magnesium deficiency is typified by a number of reductions in cognitive ability and processes and in particular a reduced attention span along with increased instances of aggression, fatigue, and lack of concentration. Other common symptoms of magnesium deficiency include becoming easily irritated, nervousness, fatigue and mood swings.

Magnesium deficiency has been found in 72% of children with ADHD, and 95% in another study. Magnesium deficiency may be more common in males than females and plays a very important role in testosterone and estrogen metabolism, relaxation and stamina. Magnesium, vitamin C, and copper (too high or too low is a problem) are the major co-factors needed to modulate dopamine and norepinephrine.

Zinc and Iron

There is now evidence to suggest that ADHD may be associated with low amounts of nutrients like zinc and iron. Several authors have also found an association between low serum ferritin and ADHD. It is also of interest that vitamin C is needed for iron retention. This finding is of considerable interest given the fact that iron and zinc, as well as copper, are essential cofactors in the production of dopamine and norepinephrine.

A 2010 study found that serum zinc levels have been found to be significantly lower in ADHD children compared to controls in several controlled studies around the world, including Poland, Turkey, Israel, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Approximately 66% of those with ADHD were found to be deficient in zinc.

Robust correlation has also been found between serum zinc and attention ratings, but not hyperactivity. Another study found that zinc supplementation improved specific cognitive abilities, thereby positively influencing the academic performance of schoolchildren, even those without marginal zinc deficiency.

Vitamin C

One study showed that following a long period of vitamin C deficiency, depressed levels of both dopamine and norepinephrine were reported. Vitamin C deficiency in guinea pigs is associated with significant increases (?25%) in dopamine levels and similar relative decreases in norepinephrine, presumably because normal amounts of dopamine could not be metabolized into norepinephrine.

In the animals with the most severe vitamin C deficiency, neurotransmitter levels never normalized. However, with only slightly higher brain vitamin C levels, dopamine and norepinephrine contents slowly returned to control levels.

What this means is that bringing vitamin C levels to normal could perform an action similar to Adderall by producing and maintaining proper dopamine and norepinephrine levels. Instead of spiking the neurotransmitters and tricking the receptors, you are producing and maintaining it as the body was designed to do.

Omega-3’s

Infancy, childhood, and adolescence are times of rapid neuronal growth, synapse connections, and gray matter expansion (memory, emotions, speech, decision-making, and self-control). All are associated with brain DHA accumulation. Due to our massive drop in seafood consumption, EPA and DHA for children’s brains has also plummeted. In infants, DHA is important for optimal visual and cognitive development and in animals, low brain DHA results in impaired learning and behavior.

In seven studies, five reported that DHA status or supplementation improved measures of school performance including learning ability, reading, and spelling as assessed by sub-tests of cognitive abilities.

Probiotics and the Microbiome

I wrote in-depth about the gut microbiome in the article Mental Health Starts in the Gut, Not the Brain. One major imbalance that occurs as a result of poor gut flora is between the neurotransmitters glutamate and GABA. Glutamate is stimulating and in high amounts, damaging to the nervous system. GABA is calming and inhibits excess glutamate. One of the major discoveries using the Nutrition Genome Report is seeing the variation of people’s genes that can lead to a susceptibility of elevated glutamate and low GABA.

The probiotics bifidobacterium and lactobacilli both produce GABA in large amounts. When you take antibiotics, eat sugar or sucralose (50% destruction of gut bacteria), your good bacteria gets wiped out and glutamate rises while GABA sinks. This affects mental health and the probability of neurodegenerative disorders goes up.

Diversified sources of fermented food, getting your hands in the dirt and consuming prebiotics (a type of fiber found in different vegetables and nuts) are the key to a diversified gut. If you are using probiotic supplements, rotate different strains to promote diversity.

Lithium

Lithium is one of many trace minerals and is present in higher amounts in mineral water and certain foods. However, these amounts have been depleted in our water and food supply. Lithium has been used successfully for decades in treating bipolar disorder and depression and has been inversely related to aggression, suicidal and homicidal violence. One study also found that young US children with autism and their mothers had unusually low levels of lithiumcompared to neurotypical children and their mothers.

Epidemiological studies of lithium in drinking water reported that 9 out of 11 studies found an association between higher levels of lithium in local water and “beneficial clinical, behavioral, legal and medical outcomes.” Studies in Texas, Japan, Greece, and Austria all found that areas with higher lithium had lower suicide rates. Researchers are so convinced that lithium is a missing link that they are considering fortifying grain products and supplements to help lower violence.

Elemental lithium, in trace doses, has been shown to improve mood in weeks. Lithium appears to promote the health, growth, and resilience of brain neurons, reducing stress-induced damage. Too much, however, can affect thyroid function. Adding Trace Mineral Drops in drinking water is an easy way to get trace amounts of lithium.

Copper

Anger is linked to brain injuries and elevated levels of dopamine and adrenaline (which can happen from ADHD drugs). The vitamin co-factors to modulate these are vitamin C, magnesium and copper. Vitamin C modulates low dopamine to the right level while magnesium lowers elevated chronically elevated adrenaline levels. Excess copper levels will cause anger and ADHD symptoms. Vitamin C chelates excess copper and zinc lower high copper levels. The right balance of minerals can make a night and day difference.

How to Determine Your Child’s Requirements

Nutrigenomic testing through Nutrition Genome is one of the best ways to determine your child’s vitamin and mineral needs early on in life, which will serve them far into adulthood. Click on the images below to read more.

Best Multivitamins for Children (4-12)

When you look at a lot of reviews for children’s vitamins, the main accolade will be “my child loves the taste!” for sugary, gummy vitamins. While important, this shouldn’t be the main positive attribute. Children also love the taste of cotton candy but will spit out broccoli. This isn’t the best gauge for nutrition and children need to develop other tastes beyond sweet if they are going to adopt healthy eating habits as teenagers and adults. Remember to give your children’s vitamins with food so that you absorb the carotenoids and fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K.

Here is what you want to look for:

-Organic, Certificate of Authenticity and third-party testing showing exceedingly low levels of heavy metals
-No sucrose or glucose syrup in the additional ingredients. Stevia, xylitol or monk fruit are acceptable sweeteners.
-No copper in the form of cupric oxide
-Contains magnesium and calcium for growing bones (most multivitamins do not contain much of either) in a 1:1 ratio or higher in favor of magnesium
-B12 in the methylcobalamin form
-Folate in the methylfolate form, not folic acid. This form is found in broccoli.
-Contains iodine and selenium to protect the thyroid and other glands
-Vitamin E should contain mixed tocopherols
-Beta carotene should be food based and contain mixed carotenoids

The Best Children’s Multivitamin

My recommendation plan for children includes a multivitamin, fish oil or cod liver oil, magnesium and Concentrace Mineral Drops in water for small traces of lithium.

If your child will only do gummies, I understand, and at least they are getting their vitamins and minerals. Many gummies are very poorly made, but SmartyPants is going to be one of the best choices. Both products should be used together to get a full multivitamin and multimineral profile for ages 4 and older. My criticism would be that B12 is too high, but it is in the right form. I would also like to see mixed tocopherols for vitamin E and a higher amount of vitamin C.

Highlights

600 IU Vitamin D
267mcg of methylfolate
Small amounts of EPA and DHA
8 total mg of zinc when combining products
250mg of magnesium citrate in the mineral product
20mcg of inositol
20mcg of selenium in the mineral product

Virgin cod liver oil contains vitamin A, vitamin D, EPA and DHA. Wild salmon oil contains vitamin A, D, EPA, DHA, and astaxanthin. Both are good one to use during the fall and winter to protect against colds and the flu. Vitamin A helps the immune system, digestive system, skin, eyes and learning and memory skills. If your kids don’t eat eggs, liver or dairy, they are not getting enough vitamin A. It is a liquid and has a palatable taste, even for kids.

The Children’s DHA are chewable and contain EPA and DHA. Nordic Naturals has a good reputation for thorough testing and purity.

There are children that are going to need more magnesium than what Naturelo provides. If your child is very active, can’t relax, experiences anxiety, has trouble concentrating and sleeping, magnesium can be a miracle worker.

This product is in a flavored powder form that you mix in water, making it easy for kids.

Essentially, the strains don’t change for children, just the dosage or amount of strains. So when you see a probiotic marketed to children, it is usually just a lower dose version. BioKult Infantis is a quality one for kids that also includes omega-3’s and vitamin D.

Nicci Hunt
on January 7, 2018 at 3:58 am

Can we give our girls the Biokult along with the recommendations in the article? Also we do not eat much fish due me (the mother) having a fish allergy. My girls haven’t had reactions yet but I’m leery to give daily because my 6 year old has pretty bad eczema and I wouldn’t want to inflame it with an unknown allergy. Other recommendations instead of cod or wild salmon oil?

Alex Swanson
on January 8, 2018 at 2:25 am

Hi Nicci,

Yes, Biokult can be given along with the multivitamins in this article. Are you looking for a non-fish omega-3 option? Or another option besides cod and salmon oil? Wiley’s finest have some great fish oil options for kids as well.

Nicci Hunt
on January 16, 2018 at 6:07 pm

a non-fish omega-3 option.

Alex Swanson
on January 16, 2018 at 10:56 pm

Hi Nicci,

The only non-fish omega-3 option I would recommend is an algae omega-3 like the one from Nordic Naturals.

Nicci Hunt
on January 16, 2018 at 6:13 pm

sorry…just to be clear you would recommend the
biokult
multivitamin
and wild salmon oil?
Thank you for your time

Yes, I believe this is a good product. I have used some of Wiley’s Finest fish oil. High quality and the liquid has a good taste. It looks like they tried to recreate the cod liver oil/butter oil combination with the addition of A, D, and K2.

Felipe
on August 3, 2017 at 12:13 pm

Hi Alex,
Fantastic! And thanks for replying this fast!! You are the best..!!

Stephanie
on August 9, 2017 at 11:06 am

What can we give our babies that are under the age of 4? I have a daughter with severe eczema and she eats a very healthy diet of only organic fruits and veggies, but she itches CONSTANTLY. Keeps us up all night scratching until she bleeds. I think she needs supplementation because I’ve read that deficiencies in C, B6, zinc, magnesium and others can cause skin disorders. But, I haven’t been able to find a suitable supplement that is geared toward children under age 4.

Alex Swanson
on August 10, 2017 at 2:56 pm

Hi Stephanie,

I’m very sorry to hear that. I also don’t have any suitable supplement recommendations for eczema beyond the probiotics for those under four found here. If you haven’t done this already, gluten and dairy are major triggers and make sure you have checked all the laundry and personal care products. Many people don’t think of the potential chemical sensitivities on the clothes and sheets. Coconut oil rubbed on eczema can also help.

If anyone here knows of a high-quality liquid or powdered multivitamin for those under 4, please share.

To Stephanie
Just wanted to share. As a child my son, now 31, had eczema. An elderly, wise Dr told me it was probably triggered by a food allergy. We tried to isolate different foods and found that chocolate and citrus fruits caused an immediate rash within 24 hours. Once we removed those foods from his diet the eczema cleared up and never returned. Other members of my immediate family have had eczema and suffered many years with it. They did not monitor their diets for possible irritants Theirs did not clear up until they were older.
We also gave my son epsom salt and oatmeal baths. He still takes epsom salt baths to relax after exercise.
Also use non refined organic coconut oil( in the cooking oil section of your local health food store) no chemicals or drying alcohol like other promoted skin care treatments
Hope this helps

Ilgin
on January 22, 2018 at 11:18 am

Hi Alex,
Thank you for this article, very informative. I have been giving one of my 5 year old twins Naturelo for a while and he loves it, on the other hand the other one absolutely hates the taste:( would it be ok to break this into his food so he wouldn’t get the taste? the other question is the Natural Vitality Magnesium Calm you’ve recommended above, does it state the dosage for children on the packaging? I have been given them both Bare Biology Super Hero Pure Omega 3 fish oil, have you looked at this brand and would you rate it? Many thanks indeed. Best wishes

Alex Swanson
on January 22, 2018 at 7:06 pm

Hi Ilgin,

Yes, there is no issue with breaking it and placing in his food. I don’t believe Magnesium Calm has dosing on it for a child. Magnesium dosing goes by weight. This is the first time I’ve seen Bare Biology Super Hero Pure Omega 3, but from what I can see, it looks like a good product.

Ilgin Beaton
on February 19, 2018 at 8:28 pm

Thanks Alex. I tried to mix it in with his food and he’s tasted it and refused to eat is delicious casserole:( Is there any other Multivitamin that you could recommend please, maybe a gummy one? I could carry on giving one of them the Naturelo and the other one can take another good brand? My boys eat eggs almost every day for breakfast, some weeks we alternate and they get eggs every other day. Is it too much, they’re 5 and half. Many thanks:)

Alex Swanson
on February 21, 2018 at 7:55 pm

Hi Ilgin,

The only gummy that I have seen that I would consider an okay alternative is Smarty Pants.

In regards to egg consumption, as long as you are purchasing high quality pastured eggs (out in the grass, not fed strictly grain), I see no issue.

How much vitamin A/K2 should kids get and (my kids won’t eat cod liver oil, or oil.. ain’t happening)

So far they get most of their probiotics and nutrients with daily fruit and almond milk and yogurt smoothies, eggs twice a week, and coconut oil off the spoon most days. Any suggestions?

My 4 yr old son loves butter. Is a small amount of Kerry gold butter added to a smoothie good enough to get vitamin A?

Alex Swanson
on January 22, 2018 at 7:32 pm

Hi Hannah,

If your kids are eating eggs and dairy, they are likely getting enough vitamin A and K2, so you don’t have to be concerned about amounts. The daily value for vitamin A is 5,000 IU (this factors in beta-carotene rich plants and retinol) for non-pregnant adults and children four years old or older. The reason it is almost the same as adults is because vitmain A is used up during times of rapid growth. The DV for K2 hasn’t been established yet. Based on the amounts of K2 found in food, I would say it doesn’t take much.

Kalua Rhody
on January 24, 2018 at 1:58 am

How much natural calm (the magnesium product do you recommend) should my 31/2 and 51/2 year old boys take. The older i’m on especially is very active, has trouble concentrating, struggles with big feelings.
I also wonder if you could comment on myo-insitol, and if you would or not recommended for children. I had read that it can support healthy mood. Thanks again!

Alex Swanson
on January 25, 2018 at 11:15 pm

Hi Kalua,

That is a question I would forward to your Pediatrician so that he or she can assess their overall needs (there is a lot more to factor in) and give you an accurate dosage to ensure they are also getting enough calcium and trace minerals.

I don’t have any experience giving myo-inositol to children. This is another one that really requires a full analysis from a professional.

Kalua Rhody
on January 28, 2018 at 5:20 am

Thank you ?

Sarah
on January 31, 2018 at 4:40 pm

Do you have an opinion on plexus vitamin? It seems to be exploding, but I dont know enough to decipher if its worth it. Specifically the xfactor kids.

Alex Swanson
on February 3, 2018 at 2:51 pm

Hi Sarah,

The Plexus XFactor kids product looks okay to me.

JB Bryant
on February 8, 2018 at 4:08 pm

How much cod liver oil would you recommend for kids vs adults? I’ve been buying Nordic Cod Liver oil (the full-strength adult version) and have been doing half a serving for the kids. Is that too much? I have a 3-yr-old and 7-yr-old. I would rather just get one rather than an adult and kid version.

Alex Swanson
on February 8, 2018 at 6:40 pm

Hi JB,

I would say 1/4 of the adult dose based on their weight. Nordic should have guidelines for their product. I would send them an email as well to double check.

JB Bryant
on February 8, 2018 at 7:37 pm

Thanks Alex!

Cat
on February 12, 2018 at 11:04 pm

Thanks for your helpful post, Alex. I was happy to learn about the Naturelo multi, but it doesn’t seem to have iron. Though my 3 and 5 year old eat a pretty healthy and varied diet, their pediatrician recommended I give them a multivitamin, at least during the winter, and to make sure it adds iron to their diet. Any recommendations on good multivitamins for kids (which is to say, hopefully something chewable) with iron?

Alex Swanson
on February 12, 2018 at 11:07 pm

Hi Cat,

You are welcome! Many children’s multivitamins do not have iron. Since iron is easy to get from the diet, I would recommend just focusing on iron-rich foods for your children.

Cat
on February 13, 2018 at 6:51 am

I was thinking along the same lines. Thanks for the response!

Selena
on February 19, 2018 at 9:35 pm

Is it ok to give my 3 year old a combination of the naturelo multi vit and the Nordic Dha… will this not result in overdoses? Thank you

Alex Swanson
on February 21, 2018 at 7:52 pm

Hi Selena,

The Naturelo children’s multivitamin is for ages 4-8.

Mila
on April 25, 2018 at 6:52 pm

My kids have severe allergy, two have already for dust but 11 year old has allergy almost to any food, except meet, plus allergy to animals, what would you recommend, is this problem can be fixed buy any vitamins or medicine? Please let me know what is the best I can do to eliminate that problem. Thank you so much in advance.

Alex Swanson
on April 25, 2018 at 11:19 pm

Hi Mila,

It would be best to see a practitioner for severe food allergies to get to the root of the problem. This can occur from an alteration in the gut/microbiome and immune system. Vitamins won’t fix it, but a good practitioner can show you the right steps for the diet, identifying problems like mold, and any underlying health issues that haven’t been addressed yet.

Krissi
on May 16, 2018 at 4:00 am

Hi Alex,

We have greatly appreciated your articles on the best supplements! Your insights and advice have considerably helped our family make choices on which vitamins to purchase. Per your recommendation, we bought the Naturelo children’s multivitamin. I believe it’s helped my kids avoid several viruses that many of their friends have had the last three months. However, they HATE the taste. I took one and they are pretty bitter. I’ve had success getting my 6 year old daughter and 8 year old daughter to (very) reluctantly take them, but my 4 year old son refuses. I switched him to Nordic Naturals Nordic Berries as it was one my pediatrician had recommended in the past. Any thoughts on the Nordic Naturals Nordic Berries? I read the above comments, but I’m hesitant to switch to one the “looks okay.” Any suggestions on a second best alternative to Naturelo since all 3 of them don’t like them?
My oldest can swallow capsules, would it be possible for her to take an adult version? Could I open an adult version and use half for each child mixed in a drink? If so, given their ages and gender what adult version would be best? And finally, if that is an option, is there a drink I should mix it with or any to avoid? They mostly drink water and almond milk. I should mention, they all have Celiac’s disease so are strictly gluten free and we also avoid all dairy with them. Thank you so much for your feedback!

Alex Swanson
on May 16, 2018 at 4:52 pm

Hi Krissi,

Thank you for the feedback! The issue with Nordic Naturals Nordic Berries is that it uses folic acid and cyanocobalamin. I just added information to this article for SmartyPants, which is one of the only gummies I’m aware of that uses the right forms of vitamins and minerals.

As for your 8-year-old, I would stick with the age-appropriate guidelines for the multivitamins and make the switch when they are 12.